Redskins Safety, Brandon Meriweather, just completed his one game suspension for hitting Chicago Bears receivers, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey, in the head two Sunday’s ago at FedEx field. Upon his return he has already set himself for his next suspension. He told reporters on 10/28/13:
“I guess I just got to take people’s knees out, that’s the only way. I would hate to end a guy’s career over a rule, but I guess it’s better other people than me getting suspended for longer. You just have to go low now, man. You’ve got to end people’s careers. You got to tear people’s ACLs and mess up people’s knees. You can’t hit them high anymore.”
Courtesy: Washington Post
The rule he so refers to is not striking player above the shoulder pads; a rule put into place not only to protect those getting hit, but those initiating the contact as well. Does he remember giving himself a concussion against the Packers during Week 2 in Green Bay this season? Probably not. Every time he opens his mouth, he continues to prove what kind of dumbass he really turned into. He has already been fined numerous times, suspended and cut by two different teams; maybe all those blows to the head are taking its toll (imagine that).
Players complaining about the rule changes are simple clueless to actual football. Now most people don’t make it past their high school glory days, some are lucky enough to make a college roster and a minute amount are privileged enough to find their way into a NFL locker room. Yet, its a guarantee that none of those players were taught to tackle the way Meriweather (and a collection of other players) attempt to every Sunday.
Never once are they taught to put your head down, jump in the air and just avoid wrapping up all together. Proper form is to “see what your hitting;” a technique taught the day someone steps onto a football field. That’s to make sure you actually make the tackle and more importantly, that you protect your own neck. Place your facemask on either arm pit (with your head up), wrap your arms around the ball carriers thighs and place your shoulder in their chest, driving them into the ground. This is what is known as a ‘form tackle;’ an art lost in today’s NFL.
In reference to Meriweather’s comments that he is forced to hit at the knee, since he can’t high, what about the 4 feet in between, known as the chest, torso and thighs. On average the head and neck is 10% of the human body and from the knee down is another 12%. That leaves a total of 78% of the body that is legal to hit. To put into terms that Meriweather can understand (since his brain is so jumbled from those high hits), 3/4’s the human anatomy is a green light to throw yourself at (since learning proper technique, or generally anything, is probably a lost cause at this point).
Roger Goodell should not take the Redskins Safeties comments lightly; drastic action should be taken. Maybe he should bring Meriweather into the NFL offices and do some ‘sensitivity’ training. Sit him in a room and make him watch interviews and news reports regarding former NFL safeties (and notorious ‘big hitters’) Dave Duerson and Andre Waters for about 24 hours; players I’m sure Merriweather would love to emulate, except for the quality of life after football and the whole suicide ending.
Ball-carriers finally can take solace that the NFL will not allow players attempt to damage their brain, they shouldn’t have to worry about them purposely damaging their body either. They shouldn’t fear lining up across from players like Meriweather, worrying if he is going to try to prove a point (the wrong point) by laying his helmet into their knee. He should not be allowed onto the field until he understands that. But with all the brain damage he has caused upon himself, I’m not sure he ever will.
